| Oral Examination Description and Content Specifications | |
The oral certification examination is a standardized oral examination that tests the application of Emergency Medicine knowledge using scenarios based on actual clinical cases. The examination requires approximately five hours to complete and includes seven simulated patient encounters: five single-patient encounters and two multiple-patient encounters. The oral certification examination is administered twice per year.
The oral examination blueprint functions as a general guideline for ABEM in constructing each examination. ABEM selects cases based on their clinical content as defined by The Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine (EM Model), and cases appearing on the oral examination can originate from any content area within the EM Model. However, specific areas within the EM Model are routinely emphasized. The lists below identify those content areas within each dimension of the EM Model that are typically emphasized on each oral examination and from which cases are routinely selected.
| Listing of Conditions & Components |
| 1.0 |
Signs, Symptoms and Presentations |
| 2.0 |
Abdominal & Gastrointestinal Disorders |
| 3.0 |
Cardiovascular Disorders |
| 4.0 |
Cutaneous Disorders |
| 5.0 |
Endocrine, Metabolic & Nutritional Disorders |
| 6.0 |
Environmental Disorders |
| 7.0 |
Head, Ear, Eye, Nose & Throat Disorders |
| 8.0 |
Hematologic Disorders |
| 9.0 |
Immune System Disorders |
| 10.0 |
Systemic Infectious Disorders |
| 11.0 |
Musculoskeletal Disorders (Non-traumatic) |
| 12.0 |
Nervous System Disorders |
| 13.0 |
Obstetrics and Gynecology |
| 14.0 |
Psychobehavioral Disorders |
| 15.0 |
Renal and Urogenital Disorders |
| 16.0 |
Thoracic-Respiratory Disorders |
| 17.0 |
Toxicologic Disorders |
| 18.0 |
Traumatic Disorders |
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Appendix I: Procedures & Skills |
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Appendix II: Other Components |
Bold = area of emphasis
The Modifying Factor of Pediatrics is routinely emphasized.
- Critical: approximately 2/3 of total cases
- Emergent: approximately 1/3 of total cases
A candidate will pass the oral certification examination by meeting either of two pass/fail criteria. First, the average of the candidate’s scores on the eight performance criteria for each case that is not a field-test case is computed. This average is then compared to ABEM’s criterion of 5.75. The candidate passes if the rating average is 5.75 or greater.
Second, the candidate’s scores on the eight performance criteria for each case which is not a field-test case are averaged to create six individual case scores. The highest and lowest case scores are averaged, and the candidate passes if this score and the remaining four case scores are 5.0 or above.
ABEM reserves the right to include in any examination certain questions or cases for the purposes of research and validation. These items will not enter into the scoring for the purpose of certification.
Revised 4/5/04
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